Bucket bail ear



C. WEIDMAN, SR

BUCKET BAIL EAR Oct. 25, 1955 Filed April 9, 1953 United States PatentOfiice 2,721 ,690 Patented Oct. 25, 1955 BUCKET BAIL EAR ApplicationApril 9, 1953, Serial No. 347,651

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to bail ears for bucketsand is more particularly concerned with bail cars which are especiallysuitable for use with buckets formed from molded pulp and the like,although also suitable for use with buckets formed from other materials.

Buckets formed from molded pulp paper board and other like materialsformed from pulped cellulosic fibers, are commonly used as temporarycontainers either in the form of self-supporting units or as liners formetal or wooden pails. One use of such buckets, particularly thoseformed from molded pulp, is for carrying bait. These buckets aresuitable for lining conventional metal bait buckets or they may be usedby themselves. Their particular manner of use is largely a matter ofchoice by the user and this choice in turn depends somewhat on the typeand quantity of bait and the length of intended service. When the moldedpulp unit is used as a liner for a metal bucket, no particular problemfrom the standpoint of carrying the unit arises since the bail on themetal bucket supports the molded pulp liner as well. When, however, thefisherman desires to use the molded pulp unit by itself, then he isconfronted with the problem of providing it with readily attachablecarrying means. A wire bail is suitable for this purpose but the problemarises in connecting the bail to the bucket. Not only must theconnecting means or bail ear be such that it can be supplied separatelyand can be securely attached to the molded pulp unit at the will of theuser, but it must also be attachable without damaging the bucket andmust engage the bucket in such manner that the bucket is effectivelysupported without undue strain placed upon it which would tend to causethe carrying means to tear loose upon continued use. Moreover, since theprice to the consumer is an important consideration in the manufactureof articles of this type, the complete carrying means for the moldedpulp bucket must be economical to manufacture and must be free fromcomplicated structural features which would unnecessarily increase itsmanufacturing cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide bail connectingmeans or bail ears of the character indicated which effectively providecarrying means for molded pulp articles while meeting the foregoingcriteria.

It is another object of the invention to provide bail ears for moldedpulp buckets which are easily attached by hand and do not require anyspecial tools or machinery.

It is a further object of the invention to provide bail ears of thenature described which may be attached to a molded pulp bucket withoutdamaging it and which engage the bucket without undue strain.

It is another object of the invention to provide a molded pulp bucketprovided with carrying means of the type mentioned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved bucketand bail ear construction.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a bail car which isformed from a single strip of metal which is suitably stamped and formedto provide two spaced apart legs adapted to embrace the wall of thebucket with which the bail ear is employed, one leg of the bail earbeing provided with at least one pointed prong which is adapted to bereceived in a suitably-positioned aperture in the other leg, and one ofthe legs being formed with an integral bowed portion adapted to receivethe end of the bail.

It is a feature of the invention that the bail car may be attached tothe bucket merely by pressing the prong through the bucket wall into thecomplementary aperture and then secured in position by bending over theforward end of the projection.

It is another feature of the invention that the prongs will engage andpass through the bucket wall a distance from the bucket edge such thatdanger that the bail car will tear loose is eliminated.

Other objects and features of the invention will. be readily apparentfrom the following detailed description of an illustrative embodimentand from the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a molded pulp bait bucket provided witha bail ear embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the bail ear shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a portion of the bucket shown in Fig. 1illustrating the relative relationships between the bucket wall and thebail ear; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 3 as viewedfrom within the bucket.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the referencenumeral 10 designates generally the bait bucket illustrated. Bucket 10and its cover 12 are formed from molded pulp in accordance with anyconvenient pulp molding process wherein a reticulated mold receives thefibrous portions of an aqueous pulp suspension drawn through it byvacuum. The cover 12 has a circular rim portion 14 which overlies theedge 16 of the bucket wall 17 and an annular recess or depression 18which separates the rim portion 14 from a central frusto-conicalprojection 20. Projection 20 has a top surface 21 which liessubstantially in the same plane as the rim portion 14 to provide asurface upon which superposed buckets or other objects may rest. Thebucket is carried by means of a handle or bail 24 each end of which isattached to the bucket 10 by means of bail car 25. Referring moreparticularly to Fig. 2, the bail ear 25 is formed from a single integralsheet metal strip Which is bent into a substantially U-shapedconfiguration to provide two spaced apart legs 27 and 28 joined by aconnecting strip 29 which is adapted to overlie the edge of the bucket.

ceiving integral bowed portion 32, the prongs 30 and the bowed portion32 being formed in the metal strip by any convenient stamping means. Inleg 27 are formed a pair of apertures 34 which are in alignment with.and positioned to register with the prongs 30 when the free ends of thelegs 27 and 23 are pressed toward one another.

The sheet metal strip from which the bail ear 25 is formed is relativelyrigid but is sufficiently flexible that the legs 27 and 28 can bepressed together manually to insert the prongs 30 in the apertures 32.For example, the strip may conveniently be formed from 20 gauge carbonsteel. The bail 24 is pivotally secured to the bail ears by slipping itsfree ends through the opening defined by bowed portion 32 of each bailear and then bent back upon itself as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Thepreassembled carrying means for the bucket 10 thus comprises the bail 24with a bail ear 25 attached to its ends, the bail cars 25 being onlypartially closed, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the fisherman desires to provide his bait bucket From the leg I 28are formed a pair of integral prongs 30 and a bail-rewith a carryingmeans, it is merely necessary for him to slip the bail ears over theedge of the bucket wall 17 and to press the legs together. This pressurecauses the sharp prongs 30 to penetrate the bucket wall and to enter theapertures 34 in the opposite leg 27. To secure the bail ear in place,the projecting free ends of the prongs 30 are bent to overlie theadjacent surface of the bail ear leg 27, as shown in Fig. 4.

The bucket is thus quickly and easily provided with an effectivecarrying means without damage to the bucket. By reason of the bail earconstruction, the bucket is effectively supported without undue strainand there is no danger of tearing or other destruction of the bucketwall by the bail ear when in service.

It will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made inthe embodiment illustrated and described without departing from thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, and it isintended therefore that all matter contained in the foregoingdescription and in the drawing shall be interpreted as illustrativeonly.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bail ear for securing a bail to the wall of a bucket and the likewhich comprises a single integral metal strip bent to define twospaced-apart legs with a connecting portion adapted to overlie the edgeof the bucket wall, one of said legs being cut to provide at least oneintegral prong extending from within the periphery of the leg and theother of said legs being formed with an aperture positioned and alignedto receive said prong when the legs are moved toward one another, and anintegral bail receiving bowed portion cut from one of said legs andadapted to be pivotally connected to an end of the bail.

2. A bail ear for securing a bail to the wall of a bucket and the likewhich comprises a single integral metal strip bent to define twospaced-apart legs with a connecting portion adapted to overlie the edgeof the bucket wall, one of said legs being cut to provide a plurality ofintegral prongs extending from within the periphery of the leg and theother of said legs being formed with a plurality of apertures positionedand aligned to receive said prongs when the legs are moved toward oneanother, and an integral bail receiving bowed portion cut from one ofsaid legs and adapted to be pivotally connected to an end of the bail.

3. A bail ear for securing a bail to the wall of a bucket and the likewhich comprises a single integral metal strip bent to define twospaced-apart legs with a connecting portion adapted to overlie the edgeof the bucket wall, one of said legs being cut to provide at least oneintegral prong extending from within the periphery of the leg and theother of said legs being formed with an aperture positioned and alignedto receive said prong when the legs are moved toward one another, and anintegral bail receiving bowed portion cut and stamped from saidfirstnamed leg adjacent said prong and adapted to be pivotally connectedto an end of the bail, said strip being sutficiently flexible for manualpressing said legs together to engage said prong in said aperture.

4. A bail ear for securing a bail to the wall of a bucket and the likewhich comprises a single integral metal strip bent to define twospaced-apart legs with a connecting portion adapted to overlie the edgeof the bucket wall, one of said legs being cut to provide a plurality ofintegral prongs extending from within the periphery of the leg and theother of said legs being formed with a plurality of apertures positionedand aligned to receive said prongs when the legs are moved toward oneanother, and an integral bail receiving bowed portion stamped from saidfirst-named leg adjacent said prong and adapted to be pivotallyconnected to an end of the 4 bail, said strip being sufficientlyflexible for manual pressing said legs together to engage said prongs insaid apertures 5. A bucket and means connected thereto for carrying saidbucket, said means including a bail and a bail ear connecting each endof the bail to the wall of the bucket, each bail ear comprising a singleintegral metal strip bent to define two spaced-apart legs with aconnecting portion overlying the edge of the bucket wall, one of saidlegs being cut to provide at least one integral prong extending fromwithin the periphery of the leg and the other of said legs being formedwith an aperture positioned and aligned to receive said prong when thelegs are moved toward one another and said prong penetrates the bucketwall, and an integral bail receiving bowed portion cut from one of saidlegs and pivotally connected to an end of the bail.

6. A bucket and means connected thereto for carrying said bucket, saidmeans including a bail and a bail ear connecting each end of the bail tothe wall of the bucket, each bail ear comprising a single integral metalstrip bent to define two spaced-apart legs with a connecting portionoverlying the edge of the bucket wall, one of said legs being cut toprovide at least one integral prong extending from within the peripheryof the leg and the other of said legs being formed with an aperture,said prongs passing through said bucket wall and being 7 received insaid aperture, and an integral bail receiving bowed portion cut from oneof said legs and pivotally connected to an end of the bail.

7. A bucket and means connected thereto for carrying said bucket, saidmeans including a bail and a bail ear connecting each end of the bail tothe wall of the bucket, each bail ear comprising a single integral metalstrip bent to define two spaced-apart legs with a connecting portionoverlying the edge of the bucket wall, one of said legs being cut toprovide a plurality of integral prongs extending from within theperiphery of the leg and the other of said legs being formed with aplurality of apertures, said prongs passing through said bucket wall andbeing received in said apertures, and an integral bail receiving bowedportion cut from one of said legs and pivotally connected to an end ofthe bail.

8. A molded pulp bucket and means connected thereto for carrying saidbucket, said means including a bail and a bail ear connecting each endof the bail to the wall of the bucket, each bail ear comprising a singleintegral metal strip bent to define two spaced-apart legs with aconnecting portion overlying the edge of the bucket wall, one of saidlegs being cut to provide a plurality of integral prongs extending fromwithin the periphery of the leg and the other of said legs being formedwith a plurality of apertures stamped from said first-named leg, saidprongs passing through said bucket wall and being received in saidapertures, and an integral bail receiving bowed portion cut from one ofsaid legs and pivotally connected to an end of the bail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS154,931 Vogt Sept. 8, 1874 201,845 Stark Mar. 26, 1878 236,296 BloomJan. 4, 1881 387,182 Reilly July 31, 1888 623,927 Parrish Apr. 25, 1899798,658 Burgert Sept. 5, 1905 1.521,782 Meier Jan. 6, 1925 FOREIGNPATENTS 27,677 Great Britain 1909

